Our invention relates generally to automotive transmissions of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,393,585; 3,613,484; 3,706,240; 3,714,836; U.S. Ser. No. 24,500 filed Mar. 11, 1987 and U.S. Ser. No. 927,624 filed Nov. 6, 1984. All of these applications and patents are assigned to the assignee of this invention.
An electronic control system for operating a torque converter clutch during a transmission gearshift includes a vehicle speed sensor and engine speed sensor, a hydrodynamic torque converter located between the engine and the transmission, a solenoid-operated hydraulic valve, which engages and disengages the torque converter clutch in accordance with the energized and deenergized state of the solenoid in accordance with the logic of the control system. The converter clutch is locked while operating in the original gear ratio, then unlocks during the gearshift, and relocks after the upshift is completed. The speed ratio of the torque converter is rapidly determined in terms of the number of clock ticks occurring between pulses whose frequency is proportional to engine speed. The current speed ratio is determined during interrupts occurring at short intervals during a background pass.
Torque converter unlock and relock reference speed ratios are calculated once per background pass. If need arises for frequent checks of the current torque converter speed ratio to be made, then the unlock reference speed ratio is compared repetitively once during each interrupt with the current converter speed ratio. When the comparison indicates current speed ratio exceeds the unlock reference speed ratio, the torque converter clutch is unlocked. Thereafter during each interrupt, the current torque converter speed ratio is compared to the relock reference speed ratio. When this comparison indicates that current speed ratio exceeds the relock reference speed ratio, a command issues to relock the torque converter. The reference speed ratio values and the current speed ratio are expressed in terms of a number of clock ticks so computing time is minimized by avoiding the need for the computer to divide during the interrupts to determine the speed ratio.
A torque converter lockup clutch is pressurized from a source of regulated line pressure through a lockup clutch control valve, which directs pressure to either of two passages to apply and release the clutch. The control valve is supplied with control pressure from a solenoid-operated valve that produces high and low fluid pressure states corresponding to commands to engage and release the lockup clutch. A second control pressure, opposing the effect of the solenoid-operated control pressure, is applied to the control valve when the vehicle operator manually selects certain gear ratios, principally the lowest forward and reverse gear ratios. A line pressure regulator valve produces line pressure whose magnitude is proportional to the magnitude of a control pressure representing a commanded engine torque output. The pressure produced when the vehicle operator manually selects low gear ratios is applied also to the main regulator valve, which produces a line pressure that varies linearly with engine torque control pressure and increases, in comparison to line pressure at all other gear ratios, when low gear ratios are selected. A converter regulator valve limits the level of line pressure directed by the main regulator valve to the converter clutch control valve.
If the solenoid control pressure that represents a command for lockup clutch engagement and disengagement is continually present, perhaps the result of an electrical failure or control system malfunction, the presence of the control pressure produced when the vehicle operator selects manually a low gear ratio will overcome the effect of the malfunction and release the torque converter lockup clutch. This action opens the torque converter and makes available to the transmission the torque multiplication capacity of the torque converter. When the transmission operates in its lowest gear ratios, the highest torque capacity of the transmission is assumed. Therefore, in this mode of operation and with the torque converter controlled by the system of this invention, the torque multiplication capacity of the torque converter is assured regardless of the pressure state produced by the solenoid-operated control valve.